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Source: ONE News -
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The SPCA is renewing its call for a ban on sow stalls and crates.
The issue was highlighted after TVNZ's Sunday progrmme featured graphic images of pigs housed in appalling conditions.
Comedian Mike King, a former advertising frontman for the New Zealand Pork Board, broke into one crate pig farm with animal activists and says he's ashamed to have promoted pork produced by such farming.
Agriculture Minister David Carter has vowed to investigate the farm but the SPCA wants the government to go further.
SPCA National chief executive Robyn Kippenberger says pig farmers are hiding behind the Animal Welfare Code which disapproves of the cages but does not ban them.
She believes if countries like England can ban them then New Zealand farmers should be able to do without them as well.
New Zealand Pork says it's slowly moving away from sow stall and crates, except for the four week period when pigs have just been weaned.
It says science proves that the animals are safer in the crates during that time.
However Kippenberger believes that's just another excuse.
She says the pigs farmed here and those in England are not that
different.
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Post new commentChrisNoaro said on 2010-07-24 @ 20:18 NZDT: Report abusive post
People need to realise that pigs will continue to be abused like this until we stop eating them. Farming and the meat indutry need to keep costs down to stay competitive so the interests of animals will always be low on the list. Also on the subject of free range - KILLING SOMETHING ISN'T TREATING IT NICELY.
trudiu said on 2010-07-24 @ 18:06 NZDT: Report abusive post
Well done again to Close up, and SAFE. Great to see this back in the spotlight. The biggest thing people can do to help these pigs is go vegan.
Freeranger said on 2010-07-24 @ 13:03 NZDT: Report abusive post
only to be replaced on the supermarket shelves by substandard imports
Freeranger said on 2010-07-24 @ 13:01 NZDT: Report abusive post
Hi,whilst I do not approve of the cruelty, I have a problem with Safe condemning all farmers.In fact it is the outdoor piggeries that are feeling it the hardest when demand goes down. Most outdoor pork producers have higher costs and getter mortality but get the same price as indoor guys which is set by what processors can import from overseas, which is garanteed to be from stalls. So lets support kiwi farmers try to improve instead of running the outdoor piggeries out of business.
whiteheron said on 2010-07-24 @ 12:26 NZDT: Report abusive post
Come on!! This is supposed to be NZ and this is not the NZ way of farming disgusting we should boycott all commercial pork products for 6 months and go back to buying from the local butcher who buys from local farms that have a good working ethic. Lets face it there are good healthy pig farms out there and scenes like this destroy their reputation as well.